Why visit Rochelle
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 19 parks and trails, 23 places to eat and 6 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Flagg Township Museum, Flagg Township Public Library and Rochelle Railroad Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 12°F.
Weather in Rochelle
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Rochelle
Rochelle is a city in Ogle and Lee counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,446 at the 2020 census. Rochelle is approximately 80 miles (130 km) west of Chicago and 25 miles (40 km) south of Rockford.
From the Wikipedia article Rochelle, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks5
Flagg Township Museum
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Former city and township hall, now museum, in Rochelle, Illinois, USA
518 4th Avenue, Rochelle
Flagg Township Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Library in Rochelle, Illinois, United States
William H. Holcomb House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Rochelle Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic Standard Oil
Monument and historic site
First gasoline station along the Lincoln Hwy in Illinois
Lincoln Avenue, Rochelle
Parks, trails and playgrounds19
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Rochelle Railroad Park
Park · 0.5 mi
Park in Illinois, United States of America
124 North 9th Street, Rochelle
24/7
7 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes23
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.0 mi
1076 North 7th Street, Rochelle
Mo-Fr 04:30-21:30; Sa-Su 05:00-21:00
El Sol
Restaurant · Mexican
409 4th Avenue, Rochelle
Mo-Fr 10:00-20:00; Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-20:00
Aldo's Pizzeria & The Red Brick Pub
Restaurant · Pizza
418 Lincoln Highway, Rochelle
Delicias La Michoacánita
Ice cream
422 Lincoln Highway, Rochelle
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Su 10:00-22:30
Kennay Farms Distilling
Brewery and winery
416 Lincoln Highway, Rochelle
Fr 16:00-20:00; Sa 15:00-20:00
11 more on the map.
Where to stay6
History
Originally named "Lane", the town sits at the intersection of two rail lines, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Union Pacific. Having a number of granaries holding corn, wheat and other crops for shipping eastward, the town was an important rail link for farmers.
After World War II, Rochelle grew, becoming a center for Swift Meat Packing and Del Monte canned vegetables such as asparagus, corn, green beans, and peas.
The community is home to the popular Rochelle Railroad Park where visitors from across the country come to watch passing trains at the intersection of the BNSF and Union Pacific Railroads.
On April 9, 2015, parts of the city suffered damage when an EF4 tornado struck near the outskirts of the town.
From the History section of Rochelle, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship13
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging14
Shell Gas Station - Rochelle North
Gas station · 1.0 mi
505 May Mart Drive, Rochelle
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Healthcare4
Map of Rochelle
105 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 12°F | 1.8 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 16°F | 1.7 in |
| Mar | 45°F | 26°F | 2.3 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 37°F | 3.4 in |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.7 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 4.9 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 3.5 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 60°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 52°F | 3.3 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 40°F | 2.8 in |
| Nov | 47°F | 29°F | 2.3 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 18°F | 1.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Rochelle (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lee County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2006-12-29: Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Hillcrest 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Malta 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
- Davis Junction 14 mi north, about 22 min by car
- Stillman Valley 14 mi northwest, about 23 min by car
- Oregon 15 mi northwest, about 25 min by car
- DeKalb 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Kirkland 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Byron 17 mi northwest, about 28 min by car
- New Milford 17 mi north, about 28 min by car
- Sycamore 20 mi east, about 33 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Rochelle Il Sign1, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- 20021025 5 BNSF Rochelle, IL (5520982093), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19961013 19 BNSF Rochelle, IL (5603775692), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19991120 04 BNSF Railroad, Rochelle, IL (6866642410), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19991120 11 BNSF Rochelle, IL (7015685993), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19960615 21 BNSF Rochelle, IL (5538753010), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19960615 20 CN Rochelle, IL (5538174489), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19960615 19 UP Rochelle, IL (5538752948), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19960615 22 BNSF Rochelle, IL (5538174575), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Rochelle Tower 2 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 20021025 10 BNSF Rochelle, IL (5521567462), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19970322 31 Rochelle, IL, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 19981205 13 BNSF Rochelle, IL (6557277519), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19950813 07 UP Rochelle, IL (5368818582), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 20110722 03 Union Pacific RR, Rochelle, Illinois, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 19981205 12 BNSF Rochelle, IL (6557277393), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19991120 07 UP BNSF Rochelle, Illinois (7015686431), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 20110722 04 BNSF Rochelle, Illinois (6131509574), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19960615 16 UP Rochelle, IL. (5538753236), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19981016 10 BNSF Rochelle, IL (6551960711), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 20031003 52 BNSF Rochelle, IL (6513906691), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19980418 07 BNSF Rochelle, Illinois (6487406419), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 19960615 08 BNSF Rochelle, IL (5538752644), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 20080412 11 BNSF Rochelle, IL-3 (31327688425), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Kraft Foods Rochelle Tower - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 20080629 02 BNSF Rochelle, Illinois (36360396475), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 20080629 03 BNSF Rochelle, Illinois (36223750511), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Rochelle Tower 1 - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 20080412 06 BNSF Rochelle, IL-3 (31183660832), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Rochelle City and Town Hall2, Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5
- Rochelle Holcomb House1, Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5
- Rd-1, RochelleTrainPark, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Union Pacific UP 3535 (SD40-2) (10568933886), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
- Burlington Northern BN 79 (SW7) (10569821854), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
- Union Pacific UP 3094 (SD40) (10568950565), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
- Burlington Northern BN 1965 (GP9) (15864534874), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
- Burlington Northern BN 1980 (GP9) (10569715615), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
- Burlington Northern BN 1980 (GP9) (10569993093), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
- Chicago & North Western CNW 5534 (GP40) (10567600993), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
- Chicago & North Western CNW 5524 (GP40) (10567394004), Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0
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